Fiqh
Prayer Times & Missed Prayers According to the Hanbali Madhhab
Thaqib ibn Fazle
This article explains the prescribed times for the five daily prayers and the rulings related to missed prayers according to the Hanbali madhhab, from Sharh Muntaha al-Iradat, Kashshaf al-Qina, and Matalib Uli al-Nuha.
Prayer Times
The five daily prayers each have a prescribed beginning and ending time. A prayer performed before its time is invalid, except where the Shari’ah permits combining prayers.
General Rulings
- It is recommended to perform each prayer at the beginning of its time unless there is a legislated reason to delay it.
- Delaying the prayer is recommended if it removes hardship, such as overcoming hunger or the urge to relieve oneself, provided the prayer is still performed within its time.
- Delaying the prayer is obligatory if needed to learn Surah al-Fatihah or another obligatory remembrance.
- A prayer is considered performed on time if the opening takbir is said before its prescribed time ends, even if the remainder of the prayer is completed afterward. This also applies to Jumu’ah.
- If a person cannot determine the prayer time and no trustworthy person is available to inform them, they should use their best judgment. If it later becomes clear that they prayed before the time entered, they must repeat the prayer.
- A trustworthy person who knows the prayer times may be relied upon for informing others of the prayer time.
Prescribed Times for the Five Daily Prayers
| Prayer | Begins | Ends | Preferred time | Time of necessity | Exceptions | Disliked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fajr | At true dawn, when the horizontal white light appears across the horizon. | At sunrise. | Pray early during the darkness of dawn. | |||
| Dhuhr | When the sun passes its zenith. | When an object’s shadow equals its height, excluding the shadow present at noon. | Pray early. | It is recommended to delay it during extreme heat, and in cloudy weather for those praying in congregation. | ||
| ‘Asr | When the time of Ẓuhr ends. | Pray early without delay. | From then until sunset. | |||
| Maghrib | At sunset. | When the red twilight disappears. | Pray immediately after sunset. | It is recommended to delay it at Muzdalifah for pilgrims combining prayers, and in cloudy weather for congregational prayer. | ||
| Isha | When the red twilight disappears. | Delay it until the end of the first third of the night if doing so does not cause hardship. | Until true dawn. | Sleeping before it or engaging in unnecessary conversation afterward. |
Making Up Missed Prayers
When a Prayer Must Be Made Up
A prayer must be made up if:
- Its time entered while a person was legally accountable and free of any excuse, then an excuse such as menstruation or insanity arose before they prayed.
- A person became legally accountable or an excuse ended while enough time remained to perform the opening takbir. In this case, they must make up that prayer and any prayer that may be combined with it before it.
General Rulings
Missed obligatory prayers should generally be:
- Made up immediately.
- Made up in chronological order.
The required order is waived if:
- Maintaining it would cause the current prayer to leave its prescribed or preferred time.
- The order was forgotten.
Delaying a Makeup Prayer
Delaying a missed prayer is permitted for a valid reason, such as:
- Waiting for a congregation.
- Avoiding physical harm.
- Preventing the loss of necessary income.
Otherwise, missed prayers should be made up without delay.
Doubts About Missed Prayers
Whoever is uncertain about the number or identity of missed prayers must continue making them up until they are certain their obligation has been fulfilled. When the identity of a missed prayer is unknown, enough prayers are performed to remove all doubt.
